Wednesday, June 8, 2011

How to Turn wood

Wood is organic material, which has natural composites of cellulose fibers that are fixed in a matrix of lignin, which can resist compression. Wood is usually produced from the secondary xylem, which is found in the stem of the tree. In a living tree, the wood functions as a medium to transfer food and water. people use wood for various purposes like fuel, construction material, packaging, artwork and paper. Woods are also dated with the process of carbon dating, which is helpful to make inferences about when that object was made.

It has been a very important material for construction. Humans started using it since the time they started building shelter. The usage of wood as a construction material is known as lumber in North America. domestic housing uses the timber-framed wood for construction. The major part of the construction company is occupied by engineered wood. Wood is also used for furniture and utensils.

Wood is also used for woodturning, woodturning is a form, which is used to create wooden objects on a lathe. Here are some simple tips on how to turn wood.

Steps:

The Lathe Method:

You should pay a lot of attention while selecting the right kind of lathe, for the type of turning required. The dimension of the bed will give you the indication of the length piece, which the lathe will accept. The swing will give you the largest diameter blank, which is capable of turning.
There are other important factors, which one should consider including the dimension of the motor, whether the motor has variable speed. You should make sure that the tool stays in place and does not wander.
Turning Speed:

Turning tools are available in various sizes and styles. The three important types of gouges are parting tool, chisel and skew.
The basic use of a gouge is to remove the waste quickly, however many use them for the shaping of wood. The best use of gouge is for roughing out a blank piece into cylindrical form.
The skew chisel is a very versatile tool and leaves out a very smooth surface on the wood. It is the best tool for shaping of the wood.
Parting tools are used for making lines on the wood. They are rarely used for shaping.
Spindle Turning:

Spindle is referred to the making of cylindrical pieces, which are not hollowed. Spindle includes items like pens, legs, ornaments and candlesticks.
The length of the bed will determine the length of the lathe the spindle can produce.
Faceplate Turning:

The process of faceplate is to involve the attaching of the blank to the headstock by screwing it. The examples of faceplate turning are vases, bowls and penholders. Swing is the most difficult factor for the process of faceplate turning.
Technique:

When the turning wood is placed on the lathe, a good application of cutting tools is very necessary. One way to see the correct amount of pressure applied is by examining the waste materials form the cuts. if there are thin and long curls, then the cutting pace is perfect.